The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-02-17
pLvAolNo ron sopoM.

PLEADING FoR soDoM.
lnte rnationai sunday school Lesson for
February go 1887.
Especially arranged from 8. y. Quarteriy.l
Gen. 1s:23-SS; commit verses 1915.
a. And Abraham drew near and said: wflt
Thou also destroy the righteous with the
wickedf
"a Peradventure there be fifty righteous
within the city; wilt Thou also destroy and not
spare the place for the fifty righteous that are
thereini
Is. That be fer from Thee to do after this
manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked;
and that the righteous should be as the wicked,
that be far from Thee Shall not the Judge of
all the earth do rights
20. And the Lord said: II find in Sodom
fifty righteous within the city, then will spare
all the place for their sakes.
"a. And Abraham answered and said: Behold
now, have taken upon me TO speak unto the
Lord, which am but dust and ashes.
g. Peradventure there shall lack Ave Of the
fifty righteous wilt Thou destroy oil the city for
lack Of FIVE! And He said: II 1 find there forty
and five, will not DESTROY 1t.
90 And he spake unto Him yet again, and said:
Peradventure there shall be forty found there.
And He said: will not do II for forty's sake.
30. And he said unto Him: Oh, let not the
Lord be angry, and will speak: Peradventure
there shall thirty be found there. And He
said: will not do it, II find thirty there.
81. And he said: Behold, now, have taken upon
me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure
there shall be twenty found there. And He
said: will not destroy it for twenty's sake.
80. And he said: Oh let not the Lord be
angry, and will speak yet but this once: Per
adventure ten shall be found there. And He
said: will not destroy IL for tens sake.
83. And the Lord went His way, as soon as He
had left communing with Abraham; and Abra-
ham returned unto his place.
TIME--B.C. 1877, fifteen years after the
last lesson.
PLAcE-Hebron about twenty miles south
Of Jerusalem.
ABRAnAM-Now ninety-nine years old,
with one child, 1shmael, son of Hagar.
Sarah, ninety years old, and still childless.
PROGRESS OF EvENTs-1. Birth Of Ishmael,
B. G. 1910. 2. Fifth appearance of God to
Abraham, B. G. 1897. 8. Abrams name (ez.
atted fdther) changed to Abraham (tdther of
mMaitude). Sarai's name changed to
Sarah. 4. The covenant of circumcision.
s. Sixth appearance of God to Abraham.
g. The six appearances are recorded in U
Gen. 1881; (9 1877; CD 1874; ~ 1878; G)
II: IS; 8) IS: 1-15.
INTRopucToRY-Fifteen years pass away
with few events. save the birth of Abra-
hams son Ishmael Then the Lord ap-
peared twice within three months, renewed
His promises, changed the names Of Abra-
ham and Sarah as q token of their fulfill
ment, and established the convenant Of
circumcision. The lesson to-day il in con-
uection with the second Of these two ap-
pearances, or the sixth from the first call
in Ur
HELPS OVER HARD PLAcEs-The heavenly
Uisitdnts: three angels in the form of men
visit Abraham and are welcomed. He was
hospitablo, and entertained angels un-
awares" (Heb. 1879. The threatened punish
n,ent: God reveals to Abraham His pur-
pose Of destroying Sodom, where Lot lived.
Sin had borne it's fruit, and the wicked few
must be destroyed in order to save the
whole race from corruption. The Inter-
cessor: Abraham. He had this privilege on
account Of his life of faith and obedience
| ". 19). The prayer Of the righteous man
availeth much. Jesus Christ Is our inter-
cessor. For Whons he tntercedes: Lot who
had selfishly chosen Sodom, and for the
| wicked city which hated Abraham and his
| religion. 23. Abraham drep near: to the
Lord, who had come In the form Of one of
the three men ". 22). Destroy the righteous
NTH the scicked: in war, pestilence, earth
| quakes, this seems to be so; but
! note ~ that we do not always know
| for each individual, and will permit
only what is good for him Rom. :2S) {;
| (9 life is not limited to this world !;
Heaven will make all right; ~ often the
righteous are partakers in the sin, when
| they have not done all they could to make
the sinners better. %. FItYy righteous :. :.
IwtH spare all the place for their sakss: because
| so many good would be q holy leaven to
keep the whole from being so wicked; and
saving the others for their sakes would
tend to lead them to repentance.
| SUBJECTS FOR SPECIAL REPoRTs-The in
tervening history. The Angel of the Lord.
Hospitality aud its reward. Destruction
| on account of sin. The prayer of the
eous perishing with the wicked. The
whole city is saved by ten righteous men.
GOLDEN TEXT - In wrath remember
mercy.-Hab. 3:2
| CENTRAL TRUTH-The Christians desire
and prayer for the salvation of others.
| NEW TESTAMENT LIGHT ON OLD TESLA
MENT THEMES Il. What lesson are
we taught in the New Testament
| from Abraham's entertaining these
strangersi (Heb. 1s:a) What are
we twice commanded bv Paul to bel
rom. - 13; Tim. 8 :2) 2. What ID
said Of the prayer Of the righteousi (Jas.
5:18) Why can only the righteous be ef.
fectual intercessors for othersl (John Is
| II, 10. VINO lnUorceuoS IOr uSt (noU. q
~, 25.) What precept of Christ did Abra
ham fulfill2 Matt. 8: A, 49,
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
1. Be given to hospitality. ''Be careful
to,entertsin strangers, for thereby some
have entertained angels unawares."
O. The fruit Of sin is destruction. The
punishment Of the wicked 10 mercy to thu
world.
8. One Of the privileges Of believers 10 Il
pray for the world, for the worst Of men
for the enemies Of God and man.
I. We all need an Intercessor, even Jesui
Christ the righteous.
8. By past answers to prayer we gaiI
faith and courage to ask larger things.
9. The righteous are the preservers o
the nation. They are the salt, the lesven
through which the nation will be re
deemed.
2. II the salt have lost its SAVIOR, and tn,
leaven its power, they will perish with tn
ungodly.
1 |
Divine Tenderness.
We may dwell 50 much on the duties VI
owe to God that we don't realise ~ VI
should how much we may appeal to ant
vss Him. There are pious, well-meanini